Law Student Faces Prison Time for Racist Abuse Toward England Star Bukayo Saka After Arsenal’s Loss to Nottingham Forest
Suhel Ali, a 20-year-old law student and Arsenal fan, could potentially face a prison sentence after directing racist abuse at England and Arsenal footballer Bukayo Saka on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Following Arsenal’s 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on May 20, 2023, which handed Manchester City the Premier League title, Ali posted an audio message containing derogatory racial slurs, including calling Saka a “f*ing black piece of st” and using the n-word.
Police identified Ali by tracking his IP address and obtained further information from his mother, who provided his email address. Ali’s lawyer, Robert Moxon, claimed that the use of racial slurs in Ali’s post was meant to be offensive rather than explicitly racial.
During the trial, District Judge Briony Clarke stated that sentencing would not take place immediately, leaving the possibility of prison time open when the trial resumes on October 8.
Meanwhile, Saka has been having a strong start to the 2024/25 Premier League season, playing in all three of Arsenal’s league matches, contributing one goal and three assists.
Law Student Faces Prison Time for Racist Abuse Toward England Star Bukayo Saka After Arsenal’s Loss to Nottingham Forest
